Proofreading and Editing Series

For this final part of the Proofreading and Editing Series, I'll display some tips and examples of other things that can be added to your personal Editing Assistant. The way I see it, the more we add to our lists, the more improved we stand to become. Keep in mind these are just suggestions and compilations of various opinions of publishers, editors and the like.

Tips on how and when to proofread and edit:

- Never begin to proofread immediately after you've finished writing. Always walk away from or close the work for at least fifteen or twenty minutes, preferably a day or more. This way, you are looking at your work with fresh eyes.

- If you have a printer, try printing the writing out and sitting down with a pen to proofread and note any errors found. At times, the added task of marking up your work with a red pen will really bring the problems to the forefront for you to see.

- Read your work aloud to yourself, slowly. Often our eyes tend to trick us into seeing things that aren't actually there. Reading aloud in a slow, even tone is more likely to catch little errors such as missing words or overused words.

- The search feature within your word processor (such as MS Word for example) can be used to assist in highlighting over used words.

- A website called AutoCrit can be used as well for searching a limited amount of your texts for different instances of overuse and other errors. (Note that most options of this website require a paid membership.)

- Use your checklist and check your writing through completely for each item on the list. Do not attempt to check for more than one thing at a time.

Statements from various publishers concerning what they look for and wish to see presented correctly in writing submissions may include:

- Sentence fragments, pronoun agreement, subject-verb agreement

- Any and all punctuation

- Potentially sexist language (some publishers)

- Misused words such as their/they're/there or affect/effect.

- Use of abbreviations and acronyms

- Formatting of number usage, such as 55 versus fifty-five

- Little to no cliché use

- Complete and well-done research on material and subject matter

- Dialogue versus conversation-keep the conversation out

- Above all else, follow the submission directions of the agent or publisher

Remember, creating an Editing Assistant for yourself can be a helpful tool in keeping you on track when proofreading and editing your writing. As you see various aspects of your most common 'errors' decrease, move those further down the list. Above all, only proofread for one aspect at a time. I know it may take longer and seem as though you are spending more time proofreading and editing than you may have writing the piece to begin with, but the effort will pay off in the hands of an agent or publisher and most importantly, with your writing.

Previously in the Series:

Proofreading and Editing Series Part 1

Proofreading and Editing Series Part 2

Proofreading and Editing Series Part 3

Proofreading and Editing Series Part 4